"The Lies of Locke Lamora" is furiously enthralling, its pages steeped in intrigue and excitement. An exciting novel filled with confidently created and resonant characters. The author has an incredible gift for weaving the many threads of this fantastical world and the lives that inhabit it, always maintaining a firm hold on the reader.

really enjoyed the story and adventures. The author surprised me and the story was not predictable.Tthe main character is fun to watch from his early childhood days to his adult hood. However, I sort of curious about the main character's love interest, a girl that is mentioned but never appears in the story.

In a time not unlike old London, Locke Lamora, an orphan, was raised by the Eyeless Priest at the Temple of Perelandro. He was taught to be a gentleman and to be courteous to the wealthy. He was also taught to lie and steal. Nobody knew that the Eyeless Priest, a man who was thought to be blind and chained to the church in the Gods’ names was actually raising a band of thieves. There, a select number of orphans were raised learning how to cheat, steal, lie and betray practically everyone they met. Locke Lamora, at a very young age, found himself in Father Chains’ care with his fellow new friends, Galdo and Calo Sanza. Along with the twins, Locke learned from Chains techniques to steal and lie in the most daring ways to get the best profits. They learned the secret passages of their city Camorr and met the most powerful people who thought these young thieves were merely businessmen. They were able to fool anyone they pleased and got whatever amount of money they wanted and more. Years pass and their tight band of thieves grow slowly. But when a clandestine war threatens to tear their city and their carefully built lives apart, Locke realizes that everything their lives have built up to is about to be tested. Someone is murdering the Capa’s most important people, and when Capa Barsavi (a king-like figure in their world) turns to Locke for assistance against this murderer, Locke is caught in a deadly mess between his Capa and a threat against his friends. Locke has to realize what he holds most dear to his heart and use his thieving skills to turn it to his favor. For if he doesn’t, hundreds of lives will be taken. I was blown away by Lynch’s ability to tell a grand and suspenseful story like this! Locke’s adventures kept me reading into the night and desperate to find out what would happen next. There were some parts in the beginning that were terribly slow and I wanted to put the book down, but I had heard so many good things about it and I was just too stubborn to give up, so I read on. And yes, I am very glad that I did. The plot was full of twists that left you crying at parts and scenes that just made you want to throw the book into a fire! The characters were lively and imaginative and their characteristics added so much depth to the story. I loved the band of thieves for their hilarious antics and the way they planned their plans. They just made me laugh so hard sometimes and I had to put the book down to control myself. And then there were the parts that were so well constructed that I had to take deep breaths and think, I NEVER would have saw that coming. Brilliantly written with beautiful characters, a stunning plot and a great opening for a sequel. I can’t wait to find out more about Locke’s adventures and finally get to know something about his past with Sabetha (who isn’t even in this book, but is mentioned many times, which drives me crazy!). I’ll be looking forward to his sequel: Red Seas Under Red Skies.

Within a mere hundred pages, this book rocketed itself to the top ten of my favourite fantasy books of all time. The writing style is elegant and fanciful. The characters delightful and unique. The plot intricate without falling into the realm of painfully confusing. Each character leaps of the page, forming a perfect image in your mind. You can see their faces, hear their voices and feel their emotions. This is one of those rare books that could keep you up all night. It's impossible to put down and you never want it to end. It's not a fast read and that is part of what makes it so appealing. You get sucked into this world of Locke's and you don't have to worry about reaching the end too soon. The plot is intense without making you feel like you have to rush on. It slows down and takes an easier pace without making you wish the author would get to the point already. An entire world is created around this one city, with an extensive map and a mysterious history at its roots. I can't say enough good things about this book. I enjoyed every word of it, even the heartbreak, and I can't wait to get into the sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies. I hope Scott Lynch continues to write. He is a gem in the genre.

In the thousands of books I have read, this one stunned and amazed me most. I have never become more deeply attached to and amazed by a book than I have The Lies of Locke Lamora. I recommend this to any lover of original, unique fantasy who desires to be impressed, confounded, and even angered by a novel, however, it is NOT for the unintelligent. I am thoroughly anticipating the rest of these masterpieces!

For anyone searching for a rogue character to love, Locke is one of the best ever. A smart, complex and satisfying tale that gives the reader an appreciation for the artistry and brilliance of confidence games and detailed schemes.

There is lots of swearing in this book, which may offend some readers. It is a lot more vulgar than Tolkien, at any rate. Nevertheless, this is of the best books I have read in a while. Scott Lynch has a way with words reminiscent of George R.R. Martin; he creates a gritty world full of colorful and multifaceted characters. The plot is centralized in one city, a location fraught with intrigue and enough history to fill volumes with. There's an underbelly to the city, of course, where the reader is thrust into as we follow the cunning Locke Lamora's rise to infamy and his ultimate quest for revenge. One of the charms of this book is the way in which Lynch tells the story; this is anything but a straight forward narrative. Throughout the "main plot" we are told intermittently about the history of Locke Lamora, his admittance into a criminal organization, and his training in the art of theft. Each of the characters presented is beautifully fleshed out, with their own histories, agendas and motivations, making for a believable and engrossing novel. If you're a fan of grittier fantasy - gods, thieves, plot and intrigue, and (of course) fantastic story telling - then this is the novel for you.

A great fantasy read! (with some reservations) I must say, overall, that I enjoyed this book very much; the story held my interest the same way that the novels of George R.R. Martin (Series of Ice and Fire) and Steven Erikson (The Malazan Book of the Fallen) do. As with most fantasy there were elements of magic, deceit, betrayals, unexpected friendships and a smattering of romance; and in this book, there were a few areas that were witty and humorous. The story was well written and proceeded with a good pace. There was very little 'down time' in this story; something was always happening or about to happen that really held your interest...you had to read 'one more chapter'. However, there were two areas of concern...one minor (1), the other (2) more serious. 1.)There was no map. Although the story takes place in the fairly small geographic area of Camorr city, a map would have been very helpful to give a sense of direction and distances that our protagonist had to travel. 2.)Profanity!...profanity that was excessive and unnecessary (were talking about the 'f ' word here). Profanity that also occurred in spots that, generally speaking, it was very unlikely to happen. e.g. When speaking to the members of the upper crust of the Camorr society. And even more unbelievable was that fact that these members of Camorr's nobility never said a thing about our hero's continuous vulgarisms. Let me add this; I have no problems with swearing in novels when it is done in the 'proper' situation, (there are times where swearing adds realism to the situation (depending on who is speaking and what is going on at the moment). However, this novel exceeded even my level of 'reasonable' swearing tolerance. This degree of vulgarism, generally flawed, an otherwise great fantasy story. I find it hard to believe that one of the editors didn't get this problem discussed and corrected. (then again, maybe they did, but the suggestion went unheeded.) Without the two concerns mentioned above, an outstanding and intriguing fantasy effort. However, the use of unwarranted profanity has lessened the quality of this otherwise remarkable book. 3 ½ to 4 Stars.

I'm impressed. The world is exotic and rich in detail, and the characters are well developed and believable as human beings. The story's not always pretty, but it was very hard to put down. George R.R. Martin is a fair comparison. Further, Mr. Lynch has left himself quite a bit of material with which to continue. I'll not elaborate, and leave the pleasure of discovery to the next reader. This one's worth keeping, and I eagerly await the next in the series.

A great read. The characters are believable and loveable. The story is fascinating and fast paced. I was a little thrown off by the unusual setting descriptions, but I am looking forward to more info in the sequel. I was disapointed to find the sequel wasn't available right away. I got attached to the characters and can't wait to find out what they get into next.